CALIFORNIA: new home

I have arrived in the city of Los Angeles Unscathed and Unharmed and Unbothered by big bad VISA people. For those of you praying for my entry into the United States as a student, I thank you – God really does want me here! On Thursday night I got a call from the director, where she said “I just got a call from [the Point Loma guy], and they have just issued you an I-20.” “You're kidding me.” (that's me sitting at the computer stunned).
“No, he is taking it to the post office himself and sending it overnight!”Friday afternoon around 2:00 I got a envelope containing my I-20!!! The day before I have to leave. Seriously. God's providence? So confusing but so great.
So I have arrived with little to none hassle from the government. The flight was rather uneventful... I watched The Sentinel. Fun times.So then I got there and got on the shuttle.... and the shuttle guy wanted to (instead of dropping me off) show Hollywood to me personally, with the hopes of getting lucky. Which he repeated to me multiple times. I couldn't help thinking, “What the HECK am I getting myself into here?”But since he wasn't getting lucky I guess he just decided to drop me off at the wrong place. Which he did. So I was in the middle of Park LaBrea apartments complex (which is HUGE by the way.. we have gotten lost numerous times already), carrying a huge traveling backpack, a laptop bag, another normal sized backpack on my front and wheeling a suitcase around Park LaBrea in all the hottness and such. Gross. When suddenly I see a face that I think I recognize --- it's Nicole, the girl who was supposed to be my roommate but is not longer! Good ol' facebook... so her and her nice family helped me get to where I needed to be and then they helped me get my stuff up to my apt. Nice. My roomates are really nice girls. The two girls I thought I would get along with really great are not living with me... but it's okay. Everyone's kind of spread out through out the park so that kind of sucks --- there's three apartments in my building that are occupied by LAFSC students, but the other apts are in other buildings, some of which are a little walk... but we're making do. Things since then:I am now settled in somewhat. The phone in our apt isn't connected yet so you can't call... and since we don't have a phone we don't have wireless in the apt yet.. so going on the internet is random. We are also hugely busy these two weeks as we do all kinds of touristy things. I have not seen a celebrity yet... but I know for sure that I will, because we are living in the HUB of things here. Don Cheadle (of Crash and Hotel Rwanda fame) actually lives in Part LaBrea so we will probably see him. And across the street from Park LaBrea is The Grove (where we went today)--- a really ritzy shopping area where many celebrities chill out. So the chances of seeing someone is pretty good. Last night a whole bunch of us went to the Santa Monica Pier but we didn't leave until like 9 at night and didn't get back till 12. According to my body it was 3 in the morning.. so that was interesting. But Bekah and I stuck our feet in the ocean (my first experience of the Pacific Ocean!) and we watched some people catch things with their fishing poles. One guy caught a stingray which was pretty cool... and then another guy was reeling something that seemed quite big..... turned out to be a bra!! Only in LA.Today we went to The Grove and The Farmer's Market (a really cool place just FULL of ethnic foods and all kinds of fun stuff) and then bought some groceries. Seriously do not like American moneys. Just not pretty.The next two weeks hold many classes and whatnot. BUT we are also going to The Egyptian Theatre and all the cool places around there (and there are really cool places around there..) as well as going to the Hollywood Bowl and watching John Williams conduct his own music!!! John-freaking-Williams!!! So awesome. Should be fun.Now I should go try and find ice to put on my swelling lip. I smacked it on a fire hydrant..... don't ask. Oh yes. The second day here and Steph is burnt. Way to go.